


Haunting Coulson

by uofmdragon



Series: Tumblr Prompts - AUs by the Numbers [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Ghosts, M/M, Search and Rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-08
Updated: 2016-07-08
Packaged: 2018-07-22 06:43:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7424155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uofmdragon/pseuds/uofmdragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clint's a fucking ghost, so he decides to follow around people until he comes across someone else that should be a ghost - only Phil's not dead!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Shinichi17CP](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinichi17CP/gifts), [featheredschist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/featheredschist/gifts).



> Also a gift for tumblr user alovegeek

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shinichi17CP prompted C/C, 41 ghost/living person au please

Clint’s not sure what happened. One second he’s fighting off some of his closest friends and the next, he’s at the Triskelion. It takes him a while to figure shit out, but he realizes he’s a fucking ghost.

He can see what’s going on, but he can’t do anything about it. He can’t find Natasha though or Nick or Maria or even Sitwell. He finds Pierce and he knows that someone will eventually show up if he follows Pierce around. He find the fucking Winter Soldier and Hydra.

He’s super happy when Natasha and Nick show up to take him down along with Maria, Cap, and some guy with wings. He’s tempted to follow Natasha around, but he realizes that ultimately, he respects her too much. Natasha values her privacy. He says good-bye to her and wishes that they hadn’t fought before he’d left on his last mission. Natasha had been right, he hadn’t been ready, not after Loki. 

He has no interest in chasing after living ghosts and tells Cap that, though Cap doesn’t hear him. Cap takes his new friend instead. Clint tells him that he should have invited Natasha to help.

Following Maria would be kind of creepy. He likes Maria, but she’s going to join up with Stark. Clint isn’t all that invested in following around Stark. So he follows Nick, who is going around trying to get his people out of tight spots. He’s there when Nick pulls FitzSimmons out of the ocean and while Nick goes to do Nick stuff, Clint sits with Simmons, so she doesn’t have to be alone.

Clint’s in for the shock of his after-life when he spots Phil though. Simmons is forgotten as Clint moves to follow Phil. He talks to Phil, because Phil’s dead, so Phil has to hear him. Phil doesn’t though. Clint has always had a crush on Phil Coulson and honestly would have followed Phil anywhere, so he does.

He follows Phil to his newest secret base. He scopes the perimeter to make sure its safe. He keeps a close eye on Phil’s team and is relieved to find that none of them are Hydra. 

He tells Phil all the juicy gossip that he’s collected. Phil doesn’t hear him. He knows that Phil would never begrudge him a side of the bed, so he takes it and keeps watch over Phil. It seems to help at least with Clint standing watch, Phil doesn’t seem to have as many nightmares as the nights when Clint wanders. 

He’s there when Fitz wakes up and is given the diagnosis of Global Aphasia due to anoxia. He tries not to let Simmons be alone in her grief or Coulson, because he’s grieving too.

Clint goes out with them on missions as they start to gather forces and rescue other agents. During one of those trips, Clint spots an enemy sneaking up on Coulson. He can read the position and knows that Coulson will soon be with him in the after-life. Clint yells for all he’s worth and Coulson, who never falters, jerks looking in Clint’s direction. Clint can see Phil’s mouth move in the familiar shape of Barton. It’s enough to save Phil’s life. 

That night when Clint joins Phil in his office, Clint find Coulson looking up his file with the MIA written prominently across it. "That should probably be a K.“

Phil doesn’t seem to hear him and doesn’t look up from his work, which is apparently Clint. Clint is kind of touched that Coulson is looking for him. He also wishes he could tell Phil not to waste his time, he’s dead and doing his best to watch over them. Except not, because he doesn’t know where Nick, Natasha, or Maria are anymore. (He heard about Sitwell, apart of him doesn’t want to believe it). He hasn’t been following any of the other Avengers, though maybe he should look up Thor, because Thor might know a way to get him to move on. Clint’s okay with waiting until Phil moves on though.

The next few days are filled with coded messages and a few discreet missions. Then Natasha walks into the base with the Winter Soldier in tow. She calls him James and he’s mostly silent and broody. He terrifies Koenig, which Clint kind of finds hilarious and annoying. Clint wants to terrify Koenig, but he can’t because he’s dead.

Clint soon realizes that he’s the subject of conversation and apparently, Phil is determined to find him. Clint watches, because he knows this will end in tears and he’s unable to do anything to stop it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr user alovegeek requested "The living person x ghost au with cxc is so good, I really wish you'd consider making that a series."

“Coulson!” The unexpected familiar voice causes Phil to stutter his step. He twists towards where he thought the voice came from, looking for the familiar face, because that had been Barton.

A moment later an attack barely misses him. His falter is enough to save his life and remind him that there is someone out there that still needs to be found. He wraps up the mission, goes home, and begins the search for Clint.

Clint’s file states that he’s MIA and Phil chooses not to believe that it shouldn’t be changed to KIA. He goes on a few missions to gather information and sends out a few messages. The trail is already cold and Phil needs to know.

There were times when Phil was working, he could swear that Clint was there, dozing on a couch or lurking just out of Phil’s sight. 

The arrival of Black Widow to their underground base is unsurprising, because if anyone was looking for Hawkeye, his old partner would be. What is surprising is that she has the Winter Soldier in toy. Finding out the Winter Soldier is Bucky Barnes is also news to Phil. 

Natasha fills him in after everyone has gone to bed the first night she arrives. James is trying to sort himself out and he’s not ready to face Steve, so he’s helping Natasha track Clint. Once they find Clint, Natasha will tell Steve that she knows where Bucky is. It’s not an unlikely friendship, Phil realizes. They both have a lot in common.

Natasha and Barnes (Phil can’t think of him as James, Bucky, or the Winter Soldier) now have a base of operations and back up. Together they worked to find Clint and to deal with other SHIELD mishaps. 

Phil started dreaming about finding Clint, about Clint sleeping next to him. He's always just out of reach.

Deep down, Phil knew it was a long shot that they would find Clint alive. It was likely that the archer was already dead. Phil couldn’t blame Melinda when she came in and pointed all of that out a month into their operation. Phil understood, but he wasn’t willing to call it off just yet, especially since Natasha would keep searching until she had proof he was dead.

There were times late at night when Phil could feel the call of his bed that the whisper of callused fingers against his face, threading through his hair, and dry lips against his forehead. He could almost hear Clint’s soft encouragement to get some sleep. 

Phil had to find Clint, because there too many unresolved issues between them, too many things left unsaid.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> featheredschist requested more of this.

Clint wished he could tell his friends to stop looking for him. He was dead, and he was okay with that. He tried to tell Phil and Tasha, but they didn’t hear him. 

He still stuck with Phil though. He’d tried following Tasha and James once and had regretted it. They got a long really well and by that he meant they were having kinky, lamp breaking, mask wearing sex. Clint was impressed and horrified. Clint decided to stick with Phil from then on and avoid the gym when Nat and James were having foreplay aka sparring against one another. 

Clint wasn’t too surprised when they found a Hydra location and wanted Phil’s help investigating it. They attempt to infiltrate it, just yet, but Melinda, Bucky, Trip, Natasha, Phil and Clint watched it for a long time. Clint didn’t like the feel of it and he tried to tell them not to mess with it. It was heavily guarded and Clint was pretty sure that the risk wasn’t worth it.

Melinda at least seemed to recognize that. Clint retreated to check on the others when Melinda arrived to argue against trying to get in when Phil was dead set against it. Clint hoped that Melinda would win, but he was pretty sure Phil was too stubborn to give in.

The argument ended up in a strategy meeting with everyone in the room.

“I’m not sure we can make it in without serious risk,” Phil stated, setting his hands on the table. "Any ideas?“

"We need more people,” Natasha stated. "Air support wouldn’t be a bad idea.“

"Which I don’t have anything that offer that,” Melinda replied.

“Um, I hate to be the fan girl in the room, but there are two walking air support slash armories out there.” Skye stated. "Iron Man and Iron Patriot.“

"Tony Stark can’t keep a secret though,” Coulson stated. "Unless it’s his own.“ He was pointedly not looking at Barnes.

"It’d probably help to have a super soldier when we go in though,” Barnes stated.

“Are you sure?” Natasha asked, softly.

Barnes nodded. "I don’t think you’re going to let me run, once we find Barton.“

"Except Barton is dead, so. there’s no point to this,” Clint stated.

“Alright, so Simmons, do a back channel and let Maria know we need Stark’s support. Natasha, think you can find Captain Rogers?”

Natasha nodded. "He’ll bring Wilson.“

"That’s fine.”

“Anyone else?”

“I could try getting a hold of Morse,” Melinda suggested.

“Do so, only people we trust on this, understood?”

Everyone nodded, before they split up to do their assigned tasks.

It didn’t take long for the messages to be sent or for people to get there. Clint made sure he had a front row seat for when Tony and Steve saw one another.

“Capsicle, you call this meeting?” Stark asked.

“No, I didn’t Stark,” Steve glanced behind Tony to look at Maria. "I take it, it’s not your meeting then?“

"Oh, just whip it out and measure ‘em already,” Bobbi’s voice cut through their argument. “We each got called in by a different person.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t think we’ve met,” Tony said, extending his hand. "Tony Stark.“

"Agent Morse.”

“Agent?” Steve repeated, frowning. "Agent of what?“

"SHIELD.” Bobbi stated, before heading in.

“Mockingbird,” Koenig said as she walked by him. Clint could almost see the hearts in his eyes.

“Koenig.”

“You know what, you guys do whatever it is you’re doing,” Wilson stated, gesturing at Cap and Steve. “I’m going to follow her.”

Clint shook his head as Rhodey also went to follow Wilson.

“Where are you going?” Stark called after him.

“I’m curious as to what exactly is going on and I don’t think we’ll find out answers here.”

“You need a laynard…” Koenig said, glancing between the group that wasn’t moving and Wilson and Rhodes, clearly debating where to go. 

Steve and Tony turned to look at Maria.

“It wasn't my decision to reboot SHIELD,” Maria stated as she followed after Morse.

“Fury,” Steve growled, following after the others. 

“What?! Isn’t Fury dead?!” Stark said, hurrying to catch up to him.

Maria shook her head and trailed after them, pausing to let Koenig escort her to the briefing room.

Trip was already there along with Simmons, Skye, and Natasha. Clint wanted to roll his eyes, because he knew that Coulson’s flair for dramatics was showing. He only wondered whether he’d reveal Barnes or himself first.

Steve was already confronting Natasha, who was holding her own. Bobbi was looking at the screens and Clint could see her mind was figuring the best ways to strike. 

Tony, Rhodey, and Sam were introducing themselves and Clint could see the fanboy gleam in Trip’s eyes. Skye’s fangirl gleam was far more blatant.

“No,” Natasha snapped. "I’m done discussing SHIELD’s current status with you. I called you for a reason. Every source, I’ve found, every document, I’ve read has led me to this facility.“ Natasha gestured to the screens. "I need your help getting inside, so I can find out what happened to Clint.”

“Clint? What about Legolas?” Stark asked.

“No one has heard from Agent Barton since before the Hellicarriers crashed into the Potomac,” Trip explained.

“By revealing Shield’s secrets, a lot of agents covers were blown. It’s likely he’s dead,” Bobbi said. She didn’t sound upset, but Clint knew she was keeping it level.

“Clint’s a survivor though.” Natasha stated. “He could still be alive, do you really want to leave him in enemy hands? In Hydra’s?”

“I just want you to be prepared.”

“It doesn’t matter, if that base is Hydra. We need to take it out.” Hill interrupted. "Saving Barton is a secondary mission.“

"Hill’s got a point, Steve,” Sam said. “They need our help.”

“Our?” Skye asked.

“He helped take down the helicarriers,” Maria stated. “If I’m in charge of an assault team, there’s a spot for you on it.”

“Thank you,” Wilson said.

“Actually, I’m thinking he should be in the air with Iron Man and Iron Patriot.” Phil’s voice cut in. It effectively unleashed chaos in the room, which took forever to settle down. Clint was pretty sure that he was the only one that noticed Barnes slip into the back of the room as Coulson started up the meeting.

“I had Fitz redesign your wings,” Coulson said, looking at Sam. “He can’t manufacture them, but…” Phil looked at Tony and smirked. "JARViS, I know Stark has slipped you into my system, could you please take over and manufacture those.“

"Certainly, Agent Coulson, and may I welcome you back to the land of the living,” JARVIS’ cultured voice came through a speaker.

“So, let’s be clear on this. Clint Barton may or may not be in this building, but Hydra is. Rhodes, Stark, and Wilson, you’re on air support. Keep 'em occupied. Wilson, one of us goes down, think you can get us out of there?”

“I can try,” Wilson said.

“Good. Simmons will be on the bus for medical emergencies along. Hill, are you to date on flight certification?”

Hill nodded.

“I want you running operations from the Bus. Skye will be trying to remotely hack the system and find any signs of Barton or others being held captive.”

Skye and Hill nodded.

“Captain Rogers, Agent Morse, Agent Triplet, and Agent May, you’re my distraction and the muscle, draw their attention.”

“Where are you going to be?” Rogers asked.

“I’m going with the infiltration team. We’re going to try to find Barton. Hill, you get a location, you tell us. Our job is to find him.”

“Shouldn’t I be on the infiltration team?” Bobbi asked. “That’s kind of my thing.”

“I know, but Natasha’s the one that found this place, I’m in charge, and Barnes just informed that he’s got a vague recollection of the building.”

“Plus,” Barnes said, speaking up for the first time. “I’m kind of worried that some hidden programming will trigger and Natasha is really good at the…”

“Cognitive Re-calibration.” Natasha supplied.

“Yeah, that, so the two of us need to stick together.”

“Bucky?!”

“Hey Steve.” Barnes said, looking uncomfortable.

“What are you doing here?”

“Long story.”

Steve stared at him, looking flabbergasted.

“We’ll talk later. I sort of made a promise and I’m going to try to keep it.” Barnes looked over at Natasha, who smiled reassuringly at him. Clint was fairly sure that Barnes had just earned reward sex.

“I’ve been looking for you though.”

“I know, and I wasn’t ready for you to find me. I don’t know that I am now, but you’re needed on this.”

“So you’ve been hanging out with SHIELD agents this whole time?” Wilson asked.

“Are you a SHIELD Agent?” Barnes asked Natasha.

Natasha smirked. “Coulson hasn’t offered me a job.”

Barnes toward to look at Wilson. "No.“

"Alright, I want everyone to meet up with your teams, come up with your own plans, and get some sleep. We leave at 0800.”

Clint was fairly sure that there were going to be words from Steve later, but he went about to meet with his team. He kept glancing at Barnes out of the corner of his eyes and Clint worried about the structural integrity of the table when Natasha and Barnes slipped out. 

At least this time around, Clint didn’t have to decide who to follow when they infiltrated the building. There was chaos upstairs when they slipped into the building and started descending downward.

The further they went in the worse Clint felt. He didn’t like this at all. They were doing a full sweep, moving quickly, so he was surprised when on the like two hundredth sub-level. The three of them stopped. Clint couldn’t see past Barnes, so he stepped around and froze. 

“That’s my body…” Clint breathed out, staring at himself. 

Something seemed to snap and the others moved.

“There’s brain activity,” Natasha called out, looking at a monitor.

“And a pulse, it’s weak, but it’s there,” Coulson said, before moving to look down at Clint. "Clint, we’re here, don’t die on us yet.“

"But…. I’m already dead?” Clint objected.

“Any idea on how to get him out of this?” Phil asked Barnes. 

“It’s the cryofreeze, I got stuck in but…” Barnes shook his head. "I don’t know what this stuff is.“

"We need Morse,” Romanov stated.

Coulson nodded and lifted his hand to his communicator to call her down.

“So apparently Stark made a phone call,” Phil said.

Natasha arched an eyebrow.

“Thor has joined the fight, Morse is on her way.”

“But I’m dead,” Clint reminded them.

It didn’t take long for Bobbi to get down there. The fight was over by the time she was finished looking it over and a group had gone to wire the place, so that they could blow it up when they left.

“I’m going to try to something,” Bobbi stated. “I don’t know if it’ll work.”

“Do it.” Coulson ordered.

There was searing pain again. It hurt and Clint could hear a wounded animal.

“Clint. Clint! CLINT!!” Strong hands were pressing him against the table and it hurt. There was so much noise and Clint could sear he could feel every callus on the hands. He opened his eyes briefly and closed them, it hurt. He tried to pull away, because everything hurt.

After they were back at base and Clint had had time to calm and collect himself. He explained what had happened and Bobbi had simply declared it sounded like sensory overload. Clint had glanced Phil, who had shrugged. Clint had gone with it and didn’t bother explaining his out of body experience.

Stark tried to get him to go the tower to recover, but the hidden base of SHIELD had been his home for a long time and he didn’t want to leave.

There was still a celebration going on, because the mission had been successful. Steve was talking to Bucky with Nat nearby. Bobbi and Sam were talking. Clint was surprised to see that Maria was resting her head on Rhodes’ shoulder, but then he hadn’t been following around Maria for months. He had an idea of who was interested in who in Phil’s team.

Clint slipped away from the group. He was tired and while he hadn’t been assigned quarters, he knew where there was a bed, where he wouldn’t be disturbed and better yet the access code was easy enough to remember it. He was asleep, before he was horizontal. 

“I wondered where you had wandered off to,” Phil said, waking him hours later. "Do I even want to know how you got in?“

"Long story.”

Phil smiled. "Later then?“

"Sure.”

The bed dipped as Phil climbed in. "I’m glad you’re okay.“

"Glad you’re okay. You kind of freaked me out when I saw you.”

“Sorry. I can understand if you’re upset…”

Clint snorted. "Not upset, not anymore. I got over it a while ago.“

"A while ago?”

“Part of the long story. Thanks for saving me, I thought I was just a ghost.” He missed what Phil said, because he fell asleep.

When he woke up again, Phil was wrapped around him. There was a sticky note that read, not a ghost anymore. 

Clint smiled and stroked Phil’s arm where it was wrapped around him, marveling at how nice it felt. Clint realized he had a second chance, and damn if he was going to waste it. Phil searched for him, there was no way, Phil would cast him aside, just because Clint wanted more to their relationship than what they had now. 

Rejection would hurt. In this case. Clint didn’t think he was going to get rejected. So the risk was totally worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> featheredschist specifically wanted a Happy Ending!


End file.
